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About Me

I’ve been passionate about health since the age of 18, when I decided I needed to make a big change away from fast food and soda. My early health endeavors included fad diets, chemical food replacements, and skipping multiple meals in a row. But I became truly immersed in holistic health after a debilitating back injury at the age of 20. Frustrated with the limits of biomedicine, (“Western” medicine), my first visit to the chiropractor changed everything. We didn’t just concentrate on my injury…we explored the connection that stress, my past, my diet and my attitude had on my health. We even addressed my life-long stomach issues using different modalities, and I began to feel better than I ever had. From day one I was hooked, and I tried many alternative therapies. I tried yoga, strength training, massage, acupuncture, herbs, sound therapy and energy healing. I have eaten up countless books, seminars, and classes, and even sought out Shamanic healers deep in the rainforest. To this day, I continue to learn, take classes, and research peer-reviewed studies, but through all my training I have come up with techniques that can make true changes, and lifestyle tips that reasonable to follow. I don’t tout any one form as the “ultimate” modality, since we all need balance, and every body going to have it’s specific needs to get there. We’re all unique, and so a program catered to your body and your experience will yield the greatest results.*Photo by Josh Targownik, www.targophoto.com

My education:

Photo by www.Targophoto.com

I have a degree in Anthropology and English from UCLA, where I also studied nutrition and CAM. I studied massage at the Shiatsu Massage School of California, and have over 300 hours of Yoga Teacher Training, 200 hours of study which were with Glenn Black. I am a nationally certified personal trainer from AFAA and the Equinox Fitness Training Institute. I did a long-term intensive with Tao Te Ching Master Henry Chang, learning ancient Buddhism and Taoist methods while earning my certificate in Religious Philosophy. I am certified in Tamo-Do (Vibrational Healing through Sound and Music) from Soundformation, Touch for Health applied kinesiology and Thai Massage, and I’ve studied with Shamans deep in the South American rainforest. I continue to learn health and fitness methods, and research peer-reviewed studies.

Contributor:

Chase Heiland:Chase has contributed articles to Encompassing Health, he also designs the website graphics.

At 20 I weighed over 350lbs, was severely depressed, and had no life direction. At the time I was seeing a psychologist who happen to work across the street from a hospital. One session, he decided to walk me across the street and sign me up with a dietician at that hospital. This small event changed the course of my life. Over the course of two years, I shed 175lbs — literally losing half myself!

My passion and interest in health were spurred from accomplishment, I had changed my life and lifestyle considerably. So much information regarding overall health is not taught, or if it is, is lost, in our culture. And much of that information, too, is false or misleading. Many of my articles with focus around weight loss, but many will include practical applications towards cooking, exercise, and food and overall health in general.